Automobile license plate holder



June 18, 1935. K. ENDLICH AUTOMOBILE LICENSE PLATE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1935 INVENTOR.

June 18, 1935.

K. ENDLICHl 2,005,703

AUTOMOBILE LICENSE PLATE HOLDER Filed March 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1ERE; l 7 4 (f l', f n

f rHlsTAe MUST No1 BEREMuvEu OR STATE SEAL v Z UEsTRoYED DURIN L1CENSE YEAR PENALTY #1000m rms AND IMPmsoNMENT f @C FLOWER -=11OEOC=, TETE- E5 vso Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE AUTOMOBILE LICENSE PLATE yHOLDER Karl Endlich, Miami, F1a., assignor vof onahalf to William F. A. Buchner, Miami, Fla.

` y Application March 28, 1935, Serial No. 13,519

7 claims. t (o1. 40g- 125)` My invention relates to improvements in automobile license plate holders, and particularly to a device of this character intended and adapted to prevent theft of license plates to be used upon 5 an unauthorized automobile, or other unauthorized interchangement of license plates or from one machine to another.

tags

An object of my invention is to provide a device ofthis character that can be readily used with and applied to license plates ortags as now ordinarily in use, and which will provide a double check to insure the display of the plates or tags only upon vthe particular automobile or vehicle to which the license extends.

Another object 'is to so construct thedevice that an official seal and oiicial check of the mounting ofv the license plates or tags upon a particular machine will be required, and that any attempt to remove the license tags or` plates will necessitate irreplaceable breaking ordefacing of the oicial seal, to thus'immediately give visible evidence of any tampering with or attempted improper use of the plates or tags.

Still another purpose is to provideV a device of this character which is of simple and inexpensive construction to thus be readily and cheaply employed and applied by properly authorized oicials or other persons, and which will guard against accidental or casual displacement of the plates, and which at the Sametime will discourage unauthorized tampering with or theft of the plates, and will positively preclude the possibility of use upon a vehicle other than that covered by the particular license.

A further object and purpose of `my invention isv to provide a license'platel holder in the form of a seal, which can be appliedr by a state or municipal oflicer, or other authorized personand which-is of such characterthat breaking of the seal or other tampering with'thel parts 'will be immediately 'and unmistakably vindicated, the structurebeing such that once the seal has been broken it cannot be replaced by an unauthorized person.

f With theabove and other objects `in View,

automobile licens thereto.

e'tag with my invention applied Fig. 2 is a top plan or edge elevational view of the structure disclosedin Figure 1. Fig'. 3 is a' view'in"elevationshowing 'the lock-v ing barportion." l Fig. 4-is an enlarged `fragmentary transverse sectional view through one of the mounting bolts as disclosed in Figure l..

Fig. 51'is a similar transverse sectional. View through the sealing means of Figure l. l l Figfis a view in perspective of the sealV bolt.' Fig. 'l isa fragmentary front View showing parts of a niodied construction. i Fig..3 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially centrally through the rnodied construction shown in Fig. "I, and illustrating 'one' form of sealing'means disassembled.

Fig.v` 9 `is a sectional View through the modiedform of seal. .l

Fig. 1o is a. View similar to Fig. a rshowing the vordinarily displayed upon the front or rear, or

upon both ,front and rear, lofV automobiles-'and other vehicles, and in other like connections. In they present" instance and illustration, I have shown the license plate or tag as being of ordinary shape, size and construction, and? this plate or' tag can have numbers, Words, or other matter displayed thereon indesired manner. The license, plate' bracket or'holder 2 can be of any'for'm, design" and construction.V rAs ihere disclosed, the license plate I and the bracket 2 have registering openings therein,.ithese' openings being ordinarily in thek form of :elongated slots to permit and allow mounting of 4,various tags or platesv upongvarious. brackets. The mounting bolts 3 are vadaptedtobe tted through 'the aligned openings .of` the plate l and the bracket 2, and are preferably provided with shouldery portions adapted to fit1 Within the elongated slotted-openingsof the bracket member 2 to thus prevent rotation of the mounting bolts v3. A se-v curing nut 5 is provided tobe turned onto the outer end of each-mounting bolt 3 rto' clamp against and. rigidly secure the plate or tagv I in the desired mounting upon the bracket 2; and theseclarnp nuts 5 can be made ofany desired and suitable' shape, being perhaps preferably polygonal to permit more ready manipulation and tightening upon themounting bolts 3. Each clamping nut 5 hasa head or flange portion 6 extending laterally adjacent to the outerface thereof to thus provide aligned guideways when the clamp nuts are tightened upon the two mounting bolts 3 to secure the tag or plate I in place. v'I'hese clamp nuts 5 can be manipulated to locate the guideways so that they will be aligned both above and below the mounting bolts, substantially parallel to a line taken centrally through the two mounting bolts as they are fitted to hold the plate in place.

A locking bar 1 is made ofelongated form and of a length sufficient to extend substantially acrossl .and slightly beyond the .two clamp nuts 5 as fitted upon the mounting bolts 3,A and this locking bar, which is preferably made channeled, as perhaps best shown in Fig. 4, has anges 8 and 9 adapted to t in the aligned guideways, of the two clamping nuts as the locking Ybar Vis moved endwise to substantially the position shown in Figs. land 2." f

As the mounting bolts 3 are lockedagainst being turned and the locking bar 1, when in place, positively precludes. accidental or purposeful turning of the clamp nuts5, the plate or tag I 'is positively clampedV and held against removal as long as the locking bar 1 is in this position. With this in mind, it isV incumbent that some means be provided to secure the locking bar I in place against `casual, displacement, and -to seal the locking bar against unauthorized 'displacement or removal. 7 v i To accomplish the above purpose, I provide an offset tab or kear or other shackle-like. portion I!) in the middle of the locking bar 1 and pref.- erably extending downwardly therefrom inclose proximity to the face of the license plate or tag I. The tab or ear I0 has an opening II therethrough and the plate I is provided with a corresponding opening adapted to register with this opening II when the locking bar is in a properly `fitted and adjusted position. 1

' bular form, and is split longitudinally, as illustrated at I3, in Fig. 6. 'f i .-A seal I4, preferably of soft metal or other suitable material has'a bushing I5 embeddedA on the-inner side thereof, and this bushing I5 is made in the form of a cap'nut adapted to receive .the split end of the seal bolt I2. This cap nut portion I5 hasa re-entrant substantially, conical spreader portion I3 in the threaded bore thereof to engage in the split open threaded .tubular end of the seal bolt I2, as the .seal is turned to tighten the threaded bushing .I5 onto the seal bolt, and the end of the seal bolt is thus distorted to bind and grip withinthe bushing to prevent reverse turning of the seal portion to release the sealbolt. The diagonal formation of the slitsr|3 in the tubular end 'of the seal bolt will present sharp spur portions to biteinto the metal of the bushing I5 to positivelyr preclude unscrewing ofthe bushing' without destruction of the seal portion.

As is shown, the seal portion can have any desired printed matter thereon, or by the user of a suitable tool the seal portion I4 can` be impressed after it has been applied'. vIt is perhaps desirable that a number be `displayed, as at II, upon the seal, so that a check and double record can be made to insure thatl the authorized seal is associated with the accompanying .authorized license plate.

2,005,703 with the modified construction, the locking bar 1 is of substantially the same construction as set forth above, and the tag will be mounted and will be secured in place in substantially the same manner as hereinbefore described. The locking bar Ia is provided with a tab, ear, or shacklelike portion provided with a central opening, substantially similar to the construction of theparts as just described, and the tag I is also provided with an opening registering with the opening of the shackle-like portion. f

A seal member I'I is provided with a disc like face I 8 adapted to have stamped, imprinted or otherwise shown' thereon any desired lettering, wording, numbering, or other marking, and this seal member has Va tubular shank I9 extending rearwardly and substantially centrally therefrom to be fitted through the registering openings of .theshackle-like portion Illa and the opening of the tag I. A sealing bolt 2I is adapted to be fitted through' the tubular shank I9 from rvthe rear, and isprovided with a head having a clinching anvil formation at 22. has `been fitted through the tubular shank a washer 20 is placed thereon over the face I8 of the seal member and a clamping nut 23 is turned thereon to, distinguish the particular localityl where the tag was afiixed, ythe date or time of sealing', or other matterwhich it may be desired. to display, and as the seal can be removed only bybreakin'g or destroying the tubular shank I9,

it isimpossible to reailix the seal to an un-- After the bolt '2I authorized license plate or tag.Y If any attempt be made by an unauthorized person to apply the seal by means of a rivet, screw, bolt, or other fastening within the remnants of the `broken shank I9, these can be immediately detected for the reason that the opening-25 will be'A closed or` obscured.

It is ofcourse to be understood that following y the aixing and securernent of the seal, the bolt 2| and its associated parts will be removed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I' have provided an automobile V'license plate holder adaptable and suitable for use upon license plates as now ordinarily in use, and-which will render to the various state, municipal, or other governmental bodies, a means and method of conveniently and readily assuring that license plates will be used only upon the particular vehicle with which their use is authorized. As is illustrated in Figure 1, any desired warning or penalty notice can be readily shown upon the face of the locking bar 1, to thus Vbe conveniently visible, and an added protection is thus affordedr to theV such penalty or warning will deter unauthorized parties from tampering with or removing the license plates from the particular vehicle authorized and licensed to use the plates.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specific embodiments of my invention, it will be appreciated that changes land variations can be made in the form, construction, assembly, association, and manner of use of the public and to the individual vehicle owner, .as 51 All various parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a license plate having openings and a mounting bracket there for having openings, mounting bolts fitted through the openings of the bracket and plate, clamp nuts fitted on said mounting bolts and provided with guide- Way portions, a locking bar provided with flange portions received in the guideway portions of the clamp nuts to retain the same against removal from the mounting bolts, and seal means engaging the locking bar and the licen plate to prevent unauthorized removal of the locking bar.

2. In combination with a license plate having openings and a mounting bracket therefor having openings, mounting bolts fitted through the openings of the bracket and plate, clamp nuts fitted on said mounting bolts and provided with guideway portions, a locking bar` provided with flange portions received in the guideway portions of the clamp nuts to retain the same against removal from the mounting bolts, said license plate and the locking bar being provided vvith openings registering when the locking bar is in position to retain the clamp nuts in place, and seal means applied in the registering openings to retain the locking bar against unauthorized removal.

3. In combination with a license plate having openings and a mounting bracket therefor having openings, mounting bolts tted through the openings of the bracket and plate, clamp nuts fitted on said mounting bolts and provided With guide- Way portions, a locking bar provided With flange portions received in the guideway portions of the clamp nuts to retain the same against removal from the mounting bolts, said license plate and the locking bar being provided with openings registering when the locking bar is in position to retain the clamp nuts in place, a split seal bolt tted through the registering openings of the plate and the locking bar, and a destructible seal member fitted and locked upon the split seal bolt to positively secure the locking ybar against removal except by destruction of the seal member.

4. In combination with a license plate having an opening and a mounting bracket therefor having an opening, a mounting bolt fitted through the openings of the bracket and plate, a clamp nut fitted on said mounting bolt and provided With guideway portions, a locking bar provided with flange portions received in the guideWay portions of the clamp nut to retain the same against removal from the mounting bolt, 'and seal means engaging the locking bar andthe license plate to prevent unauthorized removal of the locking bar.

5. In combination, a bracket having a fastener receiving opening, a license plate provided With a fastener receiving opening and having a second opening therethrough, a bolt fitted through the fastener receiving openings of the bracket and plate, a nut on said bolt, a locking bar fitted to prevent removal of said nut and provided' with an opening registering with said second opening, and seal means secured through said registering openings to secure the locking bar in place.

6. In combination, a bracket having a fastener `receiving opening therethrough, a license plate provided With a fastener receiving opening ytherethrough and having a second opening, a bolt fitted lthrough the fastener receiving openings of the bracket and plate, a nut on said bolt, a locking bar provided with a flange portion fitted and held upon said nut and having an opening registering with the said second opening through the plate, and seal means mounted through said registering openings to secure the locking bar in place and consequently hold the nut against removal.

7. In combination, a mounting brackethavingL a bolt receiving opening therethrough, abolt the locking bar against movement and to consequently retain the nut against being turned from the bolt.

KARL ENDLICH. 

